Young Lovers Try to Elope to Africa

Three German children under the age of 8 were caught trying to get to Africa so two of them could get married. In warm environs, no less.

When asked why they were going, groom-to-be Mika explained his seemingly simple plan.

"We wanted to take the train to the airport, and then catch a plane, then we would unpack, and get married once we arrived. Then we wanted to go for a little holiday," he said.

There’s a slightly different version of the story on SkyNews, with a quote from a shocked and amazed mother. Now that may be taking free-range kids a bit too far!

Child elopers' Africa plan foiled (Thanks, Katie Wilson!)

(Shawn Connally and Bruce Stewart are guest bloggers)

[#1 posted by BackwardsDog, January 6, 2009 6:48 PM]

Wonderful! What a cute story.

I am sure the kids had to hear quite a bit from their rightfully shocked parents after that adventure.

The story makes me smile. True BB gold I says...

[#2 posted by Anonymous, January 6, 2009 6:49 PM]

'The Holly Tree', anyone?

[#3 posted by rb3m, January 6, 2009 7:15 PM]

This renews my hopes on today's youth :) They have the ambition, just need some work on the execution.

[#4 posted by Ernunnos, January 6, 2009 7:35 PM]

In a world of Nerf-coated children, that warms my heart. Young love and initiative in one story? Doesn't get much better than that.

[#5 posted by Talia, January 6, 2009 7:37 PM]

Adorable. Those kids have heart and spunk.

[#6 posted by OM, January 6, 2009 7:40 PM]

...Of course, the question is begged as to not only why Africa, but *where* in Africa?

[#7 posted by Antinous / Moderator, January 6, 2009 7:43 PM]

Those kids have heart and spunk.

They have heart, but almost by definition, they don't...oh never mind.

[#8 posted by Takuan, January 6, 2009 7:47 PM]

dibs on the movie rights

[#9 posted by arkizzle / Moderator, January 6, 2009 7:49 PM]

Ha, I was thinking of a far less kind 'spunk' joke. Yours was nicer.

[#10 posted by Micah, January 6, 2009 7:56 PM]

Of course, the question is begged as to not only why Africa, but *where* in Africa?

No, the question is not begged.

[#11 posted by nanuq, January 6, 2009 8:23 PM]

"No, the question is not begged."

Sheesh, I've been totally misusing that phrase. This is a real blow to my pedantry status.

[#12 posted by Kieran O'Neill, January 6, 2009 8:39 PM]

#11: Nanuq: Welcome to the world of the correct. :)

[#13 posted by Anonymous, January 6, 2009 9:13 PM]

If anything, this is practically the operating definition of Free Range Kids, in my book. The kids went on their own, had an adventure, suffered no particular mishaps, and were protected from serious harm and/or misfortune (and illegal emigration) by adults. I would expect they also learned that one cannot simply walk into Afr...I'll stop.

In America there'd have been a state of emergency, the kids would've been taken into the care of the state for at least a few days while the parents had their lives examined under a scanning electron microscope, and commentators on all sides blowing huge amounts of hot air out their asses on national "news" television about all sorts of horseshit, from whether the cops were pedos to the MASSIVE negligence of the parents.

[#14 posted by tinyhonkshus, January 6, 2009 9:17 PM]

That is so amazingly Erich Kaestner. I don't want to read any details so I can imagine it awesomely.

[#15 posted by Daemon, January 6, 2009 9:25 PM]

These kids think small... I wanted to visit other worlds.

[#16 posted by Anonymous, January 6, 2009 9:40 PM]

Polygamist, pedophilic, Afro-Germanic marriage. I blame teh gay.

[#17 posted by Takuan, January 6, 2009 10:19 PM]

sounds like a job for the Pedofinder General!

[#18 posted by Maxi Malone, January 7, 2009 3:57 AM]

This story has all the makings of a Disney movie.

[#19 posted by arkizzle / Moderator, January 7, 2009 4:14 AM]

"..I wanted to visit other worlds."

But did you ever actually pack a bag and make travel arrangements? These kids win by a mile, for the sheer fact that they were on their way!

[#20 posted by Brock, January 7, 2009 5:22 AM]

All these articles say that the kids brought along a "lilo". What the heck is a lilo?

[#21 posted by cha0tic, January 7, 2009 5:54 AM]

Inflatable beach bed thingy Brock.

[#22 posted by Anonymous, January 7, 2009 6:05 AM]

Apparently, a lilo is an air-mattress.

[#23 posted by MarlboroTestMonkey7, January 7, 2009 11:24 AM]

And on the other side of the world:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090106/ap_on_re_us/odd_boy_driver

WICOMICO CHURCH, Va. – A 6-year-old Virginia boy who missed his bus tried to drive to school in his family's sedan — and crashed. His parents were charged with child endangerment...
The boy, whose name wasn't released, missed the bus, took the keys to his family's 2005 Ford Taurus and drove nearly six miles toward school while his mother was asleep, police said.

[#24 posted by GuidoDavid, January 7, 2009 12:46 PM]

And:
It happened at 0740 on Monday, while the boy's mother was still asleep.

Both of his parents have been charged with endangering their child. He and his four-year-old brother are now in protective custody.

#13 was very right...

[#25 posted by human remains, January 7, 2009 5:31 PM]

First time i read this on a news site I read it as "3 german children tried to travel to africa so they could tie A knot in the sun" instead of "tie the knot"
I thought it was one of those adventures you had when you were a kid, trying to get to the centre of the earth or dig to australia.